After graduating from our R21 programme earlier this year, our beneficiary Betty has now secured a part-time position through our longtime supporter Rachel at RICHSIS. Before joining r é n, Betty had worked several jobs, ranging from cleaning dishes and waiting tables to cleaning office spaces. Eventually, she learned about our social enterprise through a friend at the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association.

“I was so happy to join r é n, and it’s been very fun year,” Betty says. “I love all the events that we’ve done, such as Food Parc and the art exhibition at EAST, because I get to meet many new people and make new friends, both from within R21 and also externally from all walks of life. I also really enjoyed the yoga sessions we had, because I love sports!”

In fact, Betty is quite the athlete herself, representing the HKDSA in swimming competitions across the globe, including Taiwan, Italy and Canada. She started swimming when she was just 11, and through rigorous training for the past 22 years, she’s become a fantastic swimmer. Later this year, she’ll also be competing at the 12th World Down Syndrome Swimming and Artistic Championships in Portugal.

Prior to coming under our wing, Betty recalls a time when she used to be very introverted and spent most of her time alone in her room, afraid of coming out into the world. “She’s become much more outgoing now,” says Betty’s mother. “Whenever she comes back from these events, she never stops talking about the things she did and the food she made, and you can tell she’s really excited. 

“For me as a mother, I’m very happy that she now has these opportunities, because it builds her self-confidence. She gets to meet more people, she’s less afraid of others, and she can learn better interpersonal skills. She's exposed to a lot of new experiences. Her new employment at RICHSIS will also give her an opportunity to come out of her comfort zone and further improve her self-confidence, which is really important for young people like her. My wish is for her to become more independent, because one day, I won’t be here anymore, and she’ll need to take care of herself.”

"Thank you Jo for everything," Betty adds, "for finding me this job, and for letting me feel a part of society."